Pretty Betty
by Little Miss Isabelle
Summary: My version of what should have been the ending of the show finale.  Now COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I just couldn't stop myself! I never ever ever thought I'd branch away from my beloved _Covert Affairs_, but in a whirlwind of a couple (very awesome!) weeks, I have just seen every episode of _Ugly Betty_, and I am so in love! I'm guessing this has been done already, but please be nice to me anyway! Depending on how this goes, I might try and do something else for this fabulous show. Thanks!

**Disclaimer:** Don't own _Ugly Betty_. :*(

Pretty Betty

"Betty?"

"Oop—sorry…" She glanced up at me. "Daniel." She was looking at me like she couldn't believe I was there. _I_ couldn't believe I was there. She looked—breathtaking.

"Hi."

She offered me her smile, full of pure hope and joy. "What are you doing here?"

_What was I supposed to say? Betty, I think I'm in love with you?_ After all the women I'd been with, I knew that Betty was different. She was good and hopeful and happy and pure… and I didn't want a fling or a one-night stand with her. I wanted a laughter-filled, joyful, endless, sing-glory-hallelujah eternity with her.

I had been an idiot for so long, but Betty… Betty had always been there. She was the one perfect thing in my life of mess-ups and mayhem, and the thought of losing her had crushed me.

I was just standing there, taking in her glowing eyes and curious smile, when I realized she was waiting for me to reply to her question. "Wha-what did you ask me?" I managed to ask, and she grinned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again, and I felt like an idiot. _Strike one for Daniel_.

"I, uh… I resigned from Meade."

"What? Why?"

_How was I supposed to tell her that I'd follow her to the ends of the earth, if it meant she would flash me her brilliant smile or hug me just one more time?_ "I just… my heart wasn't in it anymore. It was time to move onto something new."

She reached out and tugged me toward the steps, and I sat down next to her. "I'm glad you're here," she was saying.

_Yeah, me, too,_ I thought. _I was going crazy in New York._

"Daniel, why didn't you say good-bye?"

I could see the hurt in her eyes, but I didn't know what to say. I'd never been a great communicator, especially when it came to women, and I was just now realizing what life without Betty would be like.

"I'm sorry," I heard myself whispering.

I usually wasn't the apologizing type, but she brought out the very best in me. I wasn't even sure what I was saying as the words tumbled from my mouth. "I just… Betty, _nobody_ has ever been there for me like you have. Not my father, not Alexis, not even my mom. It was a little hard to process, okay?"

She leaned over and kissed my cheek before slipping her arm through mine, hugging me as she rested her cheek against my shoulder. "I'm just glad you came, period."

The silence strung between us comfortably, but, after a few minutes, she asked, "So what are you going to do now?"

I stared out at the people milling around in the courtyard below. "I—I don't know. I thought I might stick around here for a while, discover something I'm good at, besides…"

"Besides what?"

"Picking up women."

She glanced over at me and laughed. "Daniel… how many times do I have to tell you?"

"What?"

She smiled this time. A smile filled with confidence and affection. At least, I hoped it was confidence and affection. "You can do anything you set your mind to. Look what you did at Mode! You've always been more than just a pretty face."

I grinned over at her. "You think I'm a pretty face?"

She rolled her eyes and shoved my shoulder with a laugh. "You're incorrigible."

I grinned smugly as I glanced out into London. "Thank you."

I didn't have to look to know she was rolling her eyes again as she bumped her shoulder with mine.

**A/N:** So what do you think? I am trying to decide whether or not I should continue it. I have some ideas, but I'm already busy on another fic for Covert Affairs, and I have inordinate amounts of homework, so if you'd like to see it continued, please review and let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Eyyyyy! I'm sooo so so sorry I didn't update this sooner. I can't believe you'd still be looking out for some follow-up to this story, but if you are, here it is.

I've discovered I'm horrible at juggling stories, and school has _never_ been more insane for me. So I promise I'll try, but I can't promise I know when I'll update each time. :*( Sorry!

And… from the little research I did, it sounds like there isn't a Taco Bell in London. Let's just pretend there is. :)

**Disclaimer:** I owneth not Ugly Betty. :(

* * *

Chapter 2

_Taco Bell_.

He couldn't believe she wanted to meet in a _Taco Bell_. Before she had rushed off earlier that afternoon, promising she wanted to catch up but had lots of work to do, she had suggested a "little Mexican restaurant" she'd been wanting to check out that was across the street from her offices.

_The little twirp._

But there was no other Mexican restaurant in sight, so he took a seat in a corner booth that looked fairly clean and began to wait.

He watched through the windows anxiously as the minutes ticked by. Six o'clock, she'd said. It was now 6:17. _Had she forgotten_? The idea of Betty forgetting about him made him sick. After four years of knowing Betty, it was crazy to think that she'd ever leave him, that she'd ever _stop_ being loyal to the people she loved, but he couldn't help the niggling fear that kept eating at his nervousness.

He watched as the Londoners passed the clean windows that covered half the walls of the restaurant, wondering if he could see Betty poking out from between the tall businessmen walking the streets, pushing through the crowds in her haste to reach him. He smiled, at the thought.

Betty made him smile. She always had. Her against-all-odds hope, her naïvete, her lame jokes and undying devotion—he couldn't help but smile. Betty was good for him.

No one would deny that.

He thought he spotted her in the dwindling crowd, and he leaned forward in the booth, searching for the bright pink coat she had been wearing just a couple of hours ago.

She squeezed her way through two businessmen in Armani suits and up-turned noses, ignoring their grumbles, and she grinned as she pulled open one of the double glass doors victoriously. She rushed to his side, her face falling apologetically. "Sorry I'm late," she said. "Everything is crazy, trying to prepare for the first issue…"

Daniel steadied her as she came to an almost-screeching halt in front of her. Smiling at her bumbling apology, he turned her around and guided her to the line. "It's okay. It's not like I have anywhere to be."

She whirled around to face him. "Daniel!" She huffed. "I said I was sorry!"

He laughed. "I know. It wasn't supposed to come out that snarky. I promise."

She relaxed by his side again, and he stole secret glances at her. She was so alive, so radiant—so _happy_—it was infectious. He loved being with her. _Why hadn't he realized that in New York?_

"Umm, Betty?"

She turned to look at him. "Yes, Daniel?"

He smiled. He loved the way she said his name. It was like… every time she said his name, she believed in him more.

He shook his head subtly, trying to focus. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up having another moment like earlier that afternoon, completely zoning out until Betty's amused laugh brought him back to his senses. "Why didn't you tell me it was Taco Bell? You just had to say it was a 'little Mexican restaurant I'd been wanting to check out,' didn't you?"

She blushed, but laughed anyway. "Would you really have wanted to go to a fast-food restaurant?"

He actually stopped to consider it. When was the last time he had actually gone to a fast-food restaurant? He couldn't even remember.

She grinned and bumped his shoulder. "See? Everybody here always goes to these elaborate, fancy restaurants with their perfectly pressed hoity-toity dresses and suits and their accents and their love for fine dining… and I just miss Queens, I guess."

Daniel laughed at Betty's assessment of London high society. "Okay. You could have told me, though, Betty, you know."

She looked up at him, smiling softly to herself as she realized he was right. She slipped her arm around his waist and leaned against him. "I know," she said, more to herself than to him. The relative silence surrounded them, and she sighed dramatically, relaxing after her busy day.

Ducking in front of her to catch a better look at her face, he said, "Hey—are you okay?"

She shrugged and glanced back up at the slowly moving line. "Yeah. Fine. It's just really hard starting a magazine."

He pulled her into a full hug, resting his chin protectively on her head. The mixture of her shampoo and perfume was a heady combination. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

He could have stayed there forever—or for at least a lot longer—but instead, when she began to pull away, he whispered, "Betty, you're going to do great."

She smiled gratefully up at him. "You think so?"

"Betty, I know so."

The line moved forward, and the cashier called out, "May I help whomever's next?"

Daniel guided Betty to the cash register, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back.

"What can I get for you, miss?" the teenage girl asked, and Daniel smiled as she began to order nachos, a burrito, and a couple of tacos.

"Feeding an army?" he teased, and she whipped around to give him a droll look.

"Daniel, be nice. I'm starving."

He held back his laugh, managing to just smile in return, before the cashier took his order.

Their dinner passed easily, with laughter and catching up, and Betty insisted on describing every one of her new coworkers and their ridiculous quirks. Of course, he listened, but, in the back of his mind, he wondered if he'd have an opportunity to tell Betty the real reason he'd followed her to London. He was fine with taking things slowly, but he _loved_ Betty, and there was no way that he wasn't going to do anything about it.

* * *

Daniel hesitated at the entrance to Betty's apartment building. He made up excuses in his head—Betty was tired, she probably still had work to do—it was early, after all—but in reality, there was only one reason he wasn't sure he wanted to go into Betty's apartment—he didn't know if he was ready.

There was an intimacy in one's home—an intimacy that revealed who someone was when he was completely comfortable with himself. Sure, he had been in the Suarez home plenty of times, but that was when Betty had only been his assistant, and then his friend. Now he wanted more—much more—with Betty, and the idea of being in the intimacy of her home, without sharing that intimacy with her… it almost seemed cruel.

That, and he wasn't even sure he was ready to break that boundary yet. He was afraid of the consequences, should he reveal his feelings to her.

She turned to glance at him. "Daniel?" She studied him curiously. "Are you coming?" She reached out and grabbed his hand, tugging him toward the entrance. It was a simple, friendly gesture, but he could only imagine what it would be like to hold her hand for real, to hold her in his arms, to love her, to protect her. He wanted a life with her.

He stumbled toward her, letting her pull him up the stairs. He still wasn't sure he was ready for this, but her confidence, her excitement, fueled him. Maybe it would be okay.

She pushed open the door to her apartment, and he stepped inside. He was surprised to find the layout similar to that of her apartment in New York, and the same bright colors dominated everything. He couldn't help but smile at that.

Of course, a bouquet of pink gerber daisies graced the kitchen table.

Betty bustled around, putting away her coat and shoes, making them coffee. She was like a nervous little hostess, eager to impress, he thought, and tried to hide his smile. He accepted the coffee from her, and they settled into her couch, half watching the television, half making fun of its contents. A while into such activity, they decided nothing good was on, anyway, and Betty turned the volume down.

Looking at Daniel mischievously, she nudged his shoulder and asked, "Sooo, Daniel."

"Sooo, Betty…"

"What do you think of London?"

He chuckled. "Betty, you do realize I've been to London already, right?"

She rolled her eyes overdramatically. "Of course, Daniel. I _was_ your assistant, remember?" She deposited her empty coffee cup on the coffee table. "I meant, how do you like it now? Since you're staying? You obviously must like it enough…" she rambled off.

He loved it when she rambled. She was so undeniably cute. "I like it well enough, I suppose. I haven't really been here that long, Betty." He paused, memorizing her chocolate eyes, the way her hair framed her beautiful face. "I think I have a reason to stay, though."

"Oh?" she asked, curious. "What reason is that?"

_Did she really have to ask that question_? The only good and true relationship he had was with Molly, and he'd thought he'd had it with Sofia, too. But Molly was dead… and Sofia—well, he just wasn't going to go there. Were all his serious relationships doomed for failure? If that was true, the thought of dragging Betty through that made him sick.

He tried to shrug nonchalantly. "Oh, I've just been thinking about what I want to do, now that I'm not editor-in-chief of MODE. Maybe London is the best place to get away from everything. You know? I think I just needed a clean break from Wilhelmina and all my family's expectations."

Betty nodded. "Well, whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll be great at it."

He couldn't help smiling at her confidence. "Thanks, Betty." He thought about where he actually was. London. Europe. "And just think… maybe I can see D.J. more! I mean, he's still in France—that's not too far away…"

Betty smiled and patted his arm. "Yeah. I think he'd like that, Daniel."

He hummed happily. It had been _years_ since he'd seen D.J. in person, and the idea of seeing him made home seem far away. Maybe London would be a good thing, after all.

Especially if he could figure out how to make a serious relationship work… for good.

* * *

**A/N:** Review, please! I know this is kinda a filler chapter, but it'll pick up soon, I promise. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** How is it that it always takes me more than a month to post on this story? I'm so sorry, once again! I am hoping things will start to slow down at school, so I'll have time to write more often, but then again, I only have about a month left for this semester, so I know all the heavy-duty projects are going to start piling up! I'm going to try harder to work on this, though. There's not a terribly lot more, maybe two more chapters? Just so you have an idea. :) Once again, I'm really sorry about the lack of updating! I'm just _really_ busy. :*(

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ugly Betty. :*(

* * *

Chapter 3

Daniel stirred against the couch. He rubbed his eyes blearily and groaned at the sharp pain in his neck. _Don't sleep on the couch._

He glanced around sleepily, stilling when he saw Betty was curled up at the other end of the couch. His eyes traced her body all the way down to her legs—tangled with his in the middle of the couch. He stilled. What would it be like to wake up next to Betty, wrapped in his arms, every morning? He could imagine her tucked against him, as he nuzzled his face into her neck. She would smell amazing—like lavender and crème—of course. She always did. The thought made him weak with desire.

He quickly extracted himself and settled in the opposite corner of the couch from Betty, crossing his legs Indian-style. In the two weeks since he'd arrived in London, he'd learned it was dangerous to get too close to Betty.

Much as he'd like to indulge in one of the many fantasies he'd had regarding his best friend in the last couple of months since he'd danced with her at Hilda's wedding, this was _Betty_. If they ever went beyond friendship, he wanted to do it right. Betty deserved that.

He leaned against the back of the couch, watching her as she slept. He hadn't really seen her sleep in the years he had known her, and, he realized with a start, sleep just exemplified every good thing that Betty was.

She looked so peaceful, so calm, sleeping there, her thick, dark hair cascading around her face, her fists tucked under that determined chin of hers. _Gah,_ he loved her.

Pushing to his feet, he bent over her and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. _I love you_. He wished he could say it, could find the right moment. She'd been filling every moment with her lively banter and all that he'd missed since he'd let her leave without so much as a good-bye.

He crouched by her side, tucking her hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger on the side of her face. Her skin was so soft.

She was _so_ beautiful. How was it possible he hadn't noticed her at all until two months ago? Now he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Suddenly, the thought of spending the day without her was almost unbearable. He leaned in a few inches, kissing her shoulder and caressing the spot with his thumb, rubbing the kiss in.

He sighed and pushed himself to his feet, wandering into the kitchen. Today was Saturday. That meant Betty would have the day off. He had been trying to find things to fill his days with, since Betty was busy with work and he… wasn't… but today—today they could spend the day together.

He puttered around her kitchen, discovering her breakfast food. Pancake mix, eggs, and recipes for coffee cake would be of no help to him. Betty knew how awful of a cook he was.

He grinned when he found a loaf of wheat bread and some strawberry jam in the refrigerator. Perfect.

He set to work.

* * *

Daniel crouched down by Betty. Her think, dark hair had fallen across her face again. He steadied the platter with one hand and reached out, tucking her hair behind her ear. He caressed her cheek gently. He knew he probably _shouldn't_, but she was sleeping. Would she really know? Besides, he wasn't entirely sure he could stop himself, even if he wanted to.

"Betty?" he called softly. "Betty, wake up, baby."

As soon as the word was out of his mouth, he mentally kicked himself. _What was he doing?_ He couldn't call Betty that! He'd wanted to call her that for months now, but it wasn't fair to either of them to make something where there was nothing—yet.

She stirred and turned to face him. Reaching for her glasses setting on the top of the couch, she slipped them on and blinked at him a few times. "Daniel?"

He managed a friendly, amused smile. He wanted to tug her a few inches closer and claim her lips in a kiss. Each day he saw her, each day he learned something new about her, he fell deeper and deeper in love with her. Seeing her so adorably vulnerable as she woke up nearly did him in. At that moment, he knew with a conviction that he rarely had felt before that he wanted to wake up next to Betty every morning for the rest of his life. The idea of being without her, even for just a moment, filled his chest with a kneading ache.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind. He wouldn't tell Betty he was hopelessly in love with her over breakfast-on-the-couch.

He handed her the tray. "I made you breakfast."

Her face lit up. "Aww, Daniel! You're so sweet."

He ducked his head, embarrassed. "You were so tired last night. I thought you should sleep in."

She smiled at him sweetly, taking the tray from his hands. Her smile slipped a little when she saw the contents of the tray. Cheerios and… orange juice? She looked up at him. "Daniel, what happened to my milk?"

He shrugged helplessly. "I—I was thirsty?" he offered.

She rolled her eyes. "I definitely had enough milk for you to drink a glass and leave enough for a bowl of cereal for me."

He ducked his head again. "I—uh, I kinda spilled."

Much as she wanted to, she couldn't be angry at Daniel, especially when he was being so sweet, trying to make her breakfast in bed. She looked down at the bowl of cereal dubiously and back up at him. A small smile broke out onto her face, and she squeezed his arm. "Thank you, Daniel."

His heart soared at her affirmation. There was a very limited list of things Daniel was actually _good_ at. Breakfast in bed wasn't one of them. He knew that. But to see her smile, even after he messed up (and he knew it), instilled a confidence in him he couldn't explain.

"It's not that bad, you know," he said, settling on the floor as he watched her take a bite of the slice of toast, strawberry jam spread on top. "The cereal, I mean. Alex and I ate it all the time in college."

She glanced over at him, snorting before her lips turned up in an amused smile. "Of course you did."

"What?" he defended. "It's really not that bad. Try it."

She eyed him warily but took a bite anyway. She grimaced and took a bite from her toast again. She handed him the bowl. "Here. You eat that. I'll eat the rest."

He studied her while she ate. She was so… there really weren't words for it. He loved the way everything was so simple, so black-and-white, to her. He loved the way she ate like English royalty. Most of all, he loved her hope, her naïvete, her enthusiasm.

She was more subdued this morning, though, still adjusting to the waking world.

She must have noticed that he was staring at her, though, and she gave him a funny look. "What? Why do you keep staring at me? Did I grow an extra mole in my sleep or something?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, ah… but you do have some jam on your upper lip." He tapped the mirrored spot on his own face, and she quickly wiped it away with one of the napkins he'd put on the platter.

She settled back against the couch, eating the peaches 'n' crème yogurt cup he'd found in her refrigerator. He set the empty bowl on the platter, and leaned back against his hands, resting on the floor behind him. "I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" she asked. "For me?" Her face lit up. "Daniel, I love surprises!"

He chuckled. "I know."

"What is it?"

"Well, if I tell you, it won't be a surprise, will it?"

She scowled at him, but he only laughed. "Just hurry up and get ready. I'm gonna head back to my flat and change. I'll meet you back here in an hour?"

She nodded, finishing up the small bowl of grapes, and he squeezed her hand in farewell.

* * *

As the taxi carried Daniel across London to his own flat, he slipped into a fitful sleep. Betty's couch hadn't been exactly comfortable, and he'd been staying up late with Betty for the past few nights, bouncing off ideas for her new magazine, making fun of English television, occasionally eating late-night fast food.

Somewhere between dreamland and his hopes and dreams, Betty came to him, dressed in all her Hilda's-wedding glory. They were back at the reception. She sidled over to him, standing at the edge of the dance floor. "Hey, Betty," he said quietly, turning to look at her.

She offered him one of her radiant smiles, and he reached out for her hand, tugging her toward the closest exit. Her eyes widened as her eyes flew from him to the room around them. "Daniel—where are we goi—"

He took her glass of champagne from her hand and set it on the table. "C'mon, Betty. I need to tell you something."

She let him pull her out of the room, and she pulled to a stop around the corner from the double doors. "Daniel, what's going on?"

He took in her beautiful face, so full of worry. Why had it taken him so long to realize it? He _loved_ Betty. He _needed_ her.

He studied her face breathlessly, her questioning eyes, the slight tilt of her lips in a worried smile. He reached out for one of her hands, stroking it with his thumb. "Betty, I'm crazy about you. I don't know when it happened—I never expected it to—but it has, and Betty, you follow me everywhere! I can't get you out of my head, and I don't know if I want to, even. You're so beautiful and kind and brave, and I've only ever treated you badly, but…" he rambled off. He paused, looking deep into her eyes. "Betty, I love you. Like crazy."

He reached up and cupped her cheek, his eyes locked with hers. "Say something," he pled.

"I—Daniel… I—" she stuttered, searching his face for something. He wasn't sure what.

He couldn't take the torture any longer, though, and he covered her lips with his own, kissing her hungrily. She kissed him back, tentatively, as her arms slipped around his neck.

_Gah_, she was perfect. The perfect combination of demure and brave. As she pulled away, ducking her head as her cheeks flamed, he reached up and tilted her chin up. "Betty?" he whispered. "Betty, I _love_ you. Okay?"

He needed her to understand it—this wouldn't be some fling or one-night stand. He was crazy about her. He was _nothing_ without her. "I love you," he whispered again, all his love pouring from his eyes.

She smiled up at him, shyly, and met his lips in a brief kiss. "Okay," she whispered in reply. "I believe you." She grinned up at him. "Say it again."

Her eyes glowed with her love. He didn't need her to say it to know it was real. "I love you," he said again, leaning in, claiming her lips once more…

The rough voice of the English cabbie broke through dreamland. "Ay, ay, ay!" he protested. "I don't swing that way! Wakey-wakey!"

Daniel groaned as he rubbed his eyes.

He _had_ to talk to Betty. And soon.

* * *

**A/N:** Please review! I know it's pretty sappy, haha, but I kinda get that way when I'm in a good mood. :) And I probably should have warned you… I don't do the whole sort of racy dreams, haha. I hope this was a bit of a happy medium. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Under a month! lol. Can you believe it? Now that I've thought about it more, it looks like it'll be around three more chapters, including this one. Maybe just two. We'll see how it works out. :)

**Disclaimer:** I owneth not Ugly Betty. :*(

* * *

Chapter 4

Daniel glanced over at Betty, struggling in her seat in the taxi. Every few seconds she kept grunting, and she was trying to pull away from his hand that covered her eyes. She squirmed in her seat. "Daniel!" she finally exploded. "Are we there yet?"

He laughed. "No, Betty. Not yet."

"Well, can I at least open my eyes until we're almost there?" She tried to push his arm away, but he wouldn't budge. "And you realize you'll probably have make-up all over your hand when we get there, right?"

He pulled his hand away, to glance at it quickly. Just as he realized he was being duped, Betty grabbed his arm and pulled it down to the seat in between them. "Ha! Got you," she said victoriously.

Daniel groaned. "Betty, close your eyes."

She sighed and sent him a patronizing glare. "Daniel, my eyes have been closed for the last twenty minutes! Are we going back to America for this surprise? Cuz if we are, I hope you know I'm not going to go the whole way blindfolded." She folded her arms over her chest, punctuating her last statement.

He noticed their destination coming up, on the right, and he did the first thing that came to mind. Reaching out for her, he pulled her into a hasty hug, pushing her face into his chest. It effectively blocked her line of sight from her surprise, which had been his purpose, but he hadn't realized how good it felt to have Betty in his arms. He pulled her a little closer.

Betty squirmed in his arms. "Daniel?" she grunted against his chest. She shoved her right arm, trapped between them, against his ribcage. "Daniel! What are you doing?"

He was jolted out of his reverie. Ohhh. He tightened his grip around her. "Shhh. We're almost there. I told you it was going to be a surprise."

Her groan was muffled by his jacket.

The taxi came to a stop, and he loosened his hold on her. "Okay. You can look."

He was secretly thrilled when she didn't move out of his arms completely, still staying tucked by his side, as she surveyed their surroundings.

The seven-acre property was covered with a couple buildings, and almost looked like a boarding school's campus. A white picket fence surrounded the property, and when Betty saw the sign in front of the main building, proclaiming "The Nadia House," she turned to Daniel, shocked look on her face, and she slapped his arm. "Shut. Up."

Daniel laughed. He had known that The Nadia House was the one thing Betty had most wanted to see in all of London. It was practically all she had talked about since they had run into each other at Trafalgar Square a few weeks ago.

He reached for her hand with a knowing smile. "C'mon."

Her eyes widened as she let him pull her from the taxi. He paid the cabbie, and he guided her toward the front entrance.

The Nadia House was an orphanage, run by a small Christian group. Everyone knew that it was in financial ruins, and Betty had wanted to visit, to try and write an article, to get some publicity to help save the kids. With everything she had been busy with, though, and the orphanage's privacy, she hadn't been able to visit.

Staring up at the three-story Victorian-style building, Betty sighed in awe and slipped her arm through Daniel's. "I can't believe you did this!"

He grinned down at her. "Yeah, well, it came on one condition."

She pulled to a stop and looked up at him. "What?"

"No notes. No interviews. They're not opposed to an article, but they don't want real names used, and they want it more like a memoir."

Betty rolled her eyes. "I'm here, aren't I? That's all I care about."

He just smiled as he guided her into the office.

* * *

Betty held Lily tighter to her chest, rocking her gently as she stared off across the field. All that Betty'd seen in the past couple hours had nearly driven her to tears. She still couldn't believe that these children had no parents, no one to cuddle them. She hugged and kissed and cuddled and played with every single child that would let her near them.

Little Lily was only two. She had tripped on a rock protruding from the ground by the field, tumbling to her knees. She had burst into hiccupping sobs. Betty had scooped Lily into her arms, and rocked her back and forth, humming Mexican lullabies her own mama had sung to her when Betty was little.

Lily was still clinging to Betty's neck, sniffing softly, her wispy blond hair tickling Betty's cheek.

Betty wandered back to the blanket, laid out at the edge of the field, and sat down, crossing her legs Indian-style. Ella and Charlotte, who were six and seven, clambered over to her, snuggling against her side. "Look what I made!" Ella proclaimed, showing Betty the picture of a childish, purple, crayon flower, her little arms moving in her excitement.

"No, look at mine!" Charlotte, who went by Lottie most of the time, insisted, showing Betty her picture of a cat.

Betty smiled and protected Lily's head with her arms. "They're very nice," she said proudly. Repositioning the youngest of the three girls in her arms, she reached for an extra sheet of paper. Quickly, she fashioned it into an origami lotus flower.

Ella and Lottie gasped in wonder. "That's so pretty!" Ella exclaimed, and Lottie pled, "Show me how!"

With a smile, Betty did it again, slowing each step this time, so they could follow along. As they worked, trying to make their own flowers, she allowed herself to glance up at Daniel, teaching some of the boys how to play some game.

She couldn't help but realize how much he'd changed, in the past four years she'd known him. It was nearly impossible not to notice him, not to see how heart-meltingly sweet it was to see the rich, connected publications heir playing with orphans, loving them as if they were his own children. He was laughing and teasing the boys, making them laugh, too, and she smiled unwittingly.

Daniel Meade looked _really_ good in that tee shirt and pair of gym shorts.

She hugged little Lily tighter. What would it be like to have a future with Daniel? A happily-ever-after future with him? Waking up next to him in the morning, washing the dishes together at night, raising a family together? It wasn't the first time such thoughts had entered her mind, especially after Claire had mentioned that she thought Daniel was falling for her, but in this moment, she couldn't deny that slowly, sweetly falling for Daniel might just be one of the best things that could ever happen to her.

As Daniel finished explaining the game to the boys and they broke from their little circle, spreading out to fill the field, he glanced over to Betty, catching her gaze. He offered her a smile, and she blushed, smiling back. Being with Daniel, no matter the circumstances, was always perfect.

Shaking her head almost imperceptibly, she turned her attention back to Ella and Lottie. They had just finished their first attempts. They weren't perfect, but they were good for a first try. "Good job!"

* * *

Daniel glanced over at Betty again. He just couldn't help it. She looked so content, so beautiful, so perfect there, sitting on that blanket with the three girls, cradling the baby in her arms. Betty had told him about her pregnancy scare with Matt once, but beyond that, he hadn't really thought of Betty as a _mom_.

He couldn't help thinking, though, that Betty would be a fabulous parent. Any kid would be so lucky to call Betty his or her mom.

There was just something about seeing the woman he loved surrounded by three adorable little girls without their own mother—it made her a hundred times more beautiful. He wanted to walk across the field, right then and there, not even paying attention to the flying balls and charging boys, and pull Betty into his arms and kiss her. He didn't know it was possible to think her any more beautiful than when they'd gotten out of that taxi a few hours ago, but his heart now ached with love for her.

She glanced up at him, grinning brightly, and he smiled weakly in return. How was it possible that Betty could turn his heart to mush with just one look?

He saw the ball aimed for his face a second before it hit. He reached his hands up to brace himself, but he didn't make it quickly enough. The kickball bounced off his head, rolling to a stop a few yards away from him, and he stared, stunned, into the distance. His ears rang with the impact.

"Daniel!"

Betty's voice broke through his stupor. He snapped out of his reverie, turning in time to see her running onto the field, the youngest of the three girls bouncing on her hip. "Betty?"

She was at his side in an instant, pressing gently against his side, and she gingerly touched the quickly reddening half of his face. Her face was clouded with her worry, and she gently caressed the skin around his eye. "Daniel…"

He pulled away. "I'm fine, Betty."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Daniel, you are not fine. Your face is the color of a tomato."

He laughed and rolled his eyes, grabbing her hand and pulled it away from his face. He tugged her off the field and sat on the blanket next to her.

As he waited for his turn to return to the game, he gingerly felt the side of his face, and let little Ella settle into his lap. She twisted around to face him, touching his temple with a feathery touch. "You face is red," she pointed out.

Daniel chuckled and pulled her into a one-sided hug, readjusting her position on his lap. "Yeah, sweetheart, I know."

She poked it gingerly. "Does this hurt?"

Daniel chuckled, and Betty pulled Ella's hand away. "Sweetie, don't touch his face."

One of the orphanage workers came out and called to the girls a few minutes later, and they scampered off. Betty smiled as she watched them go, Lily marching between the two older girls, and Betty turned in the blanket, focusing on her friend. She brushed her fingers against the tender skin gently again, and he sucked in a breath.

"What were you playing, anyway?"

"Banana ball."

She sent him a look. "What?"

He hesitated this time. "Banana ball."

"What's that?"

He stared off into the field, watching the boys play. "Um, well… the purpose is to be the last one on the field. You can get someone out by hitting them with the ball. You get out if you miss the person, or if they catch the ball. If the person that gets you out gets out, then you go back in."

She watched the boys play for a while, absentmindedly stroking his cheek. Daniel unconsciously leaned into the soft pressure of her hand. He wasn't sure what she was trying to do, but it felt good. Soothing.

"Avery's out!" most of the boys chanted, huge grins on their faces, a few moments later, and the boy that had thrown the ball that had hit Daniel trudged toward the edge of the field.

"That's my cue," Daniel said and pushed to his feet, pushing away the thoughts of Betty, tender and caring. Betty let her hand drop back to the blanket as she looked up at him.

"Be my cheerleader?" he asked with his charmer grin, and she grinned up at him, laughing a little, as she leaned back on her hands.

As he jogged back onto the field, he heard Betty's voice behind him. "Yeah, Daniel!" she shouted, and he turned to see her, whistling and clapping, and he grinned.

_His cheerleader_.

* * *

**A/N:** tada! :) I'm such a stinkin' bleeding heart; there was no way I could not send these two into an orphanage, bahaha. I loved the outcome, too. :) Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ugly Betty…

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Chapter 5

Daniel snuck another glance at Betty. He swore she look like an angel, walking next to him, the light of the setting sun glowing around her.

As their day at the Nadia House had come to an end, just before the orphans were about to gather for a late dinner, their new friends waved wildly and shouted their farewells. Betty was positively glowing, hugging each child, kissing her favorite little girls, waving, crying. He hadn't known it would affect her so much, but he knew they were happy tears.

As they closed the gate behind them and watched the children return inside, Betty slipped into his arms. She snuggled deep into his arms, burying her face in his shoulder. She lingered there, treasuring the warmth of his embrace.

The hug surprised him, especially the emotion of it, but he adjusted quickly, tightening his arms around her. Betty, in his arms, was like a dream.

When she pulled away, he reached for his phone, to call for a cab, but she stilled him. Slipping her arm through his, she tugged him down the street. "Let's walk."

"All the way back to your apartment?" he'd asked incredulously, but she rolled her eyes. They had ended up at a restaurant in Holland Park, seated at a booth overlooking the park. As they ate, Betty's excitement from the day spilled over. She was so happy, so bubbly, describing everything in detail. It reminded him of that time she'd rescued him from that disastrous date after Sofia had dumped him on national television.

After he had paid for their dinner, they had moved out to the park, walking together amiably, while Betty bubbled on about her afternoon. "… and _ohhh_! Daniel! Did you see that little blind girl? Evey? She was so cute… I just can't even imagine being a blind orphan… I wish we could get someone to adopt her. That would be nice. Wouldn't it, Daniel?" She glanced over at him. He seemed to be zoning out—again. (It had happened more times than she could remember in the past two weeks.) "Daniel!"

He jumped. "Huh? Betty? What? Sorry…"

She rolled her eyes. "You don't listen to me anymore."

_That's because my mind is on other things._ "Sorry."

She shrugged and slipped her arm through his again, tugging him forward. "Can you believe how beautiful those kids were?" she continued, not even bothering to remind him of her previous questions. "The most beautiful kids I've ever seen. It's so heartbreaking… they don't have anybody to love them, and they're just so adorable, and I just—I just wish I could adopt them all!"

As he walked along, half listening to what she had to say, he couldn't stop focusing on how much he loved how Betty rambled in her excitement, and how much he loved just _being_ with her, in moments like these, when nothing significant happened, and yet everything about the moment mattered.

Suddenly, that wasn't enough. It couldn't be. He _loved_ Betty. He _needed_ her. He couldn't just be her friend. She had to know that he loved her the way a man loved a woman, but oh, so much more. There was no way any man had ever loved any woman the way he loved Betty.

His heart burned in his chest. Desperation filled him. He had to tell her, and _now._ Why couldn't he get his lips to move? Why was his throat closing up?

He pushed past the emotion. Pulling her to a stop, he turned to face her. She was still rambling. "And did you see that baby Hann—Daniel, what are you doing?"

His blue eyes swam with his emotion, and he said, "Stop. Betty, just… stop. I need to tell you something."

She waited patiently, looking up at him, and that perfect patience won his heart even more. How was it possible that Betty was so utterly perfect?

"Betty, I—I…" His courage was quickly failing him, and he stood there, shuffling on his feet, trying to figure out how to tell her how much she truly meant to him. He was _nothing_ without her! _I love you_ didn't even seem to suffice.

He saw the glimpse of a teasing smile before her hand covered his eyes. Anger coursed through him. She couldn't trivialize this moment. She couldn't take this away from him. _No_.

He pulled her hand away from his eyes in time to see her face inches from his own. "Betty?" he whispered, confused, before her lips brushed his.

His response was instantaneous. He had been waiting weeks for this. Betty, in his arms, was almost more than he could believe. He kissed her back hungrily, pulling her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging him closer, and he reached his hand up, cupping her jaw.

Kissing Betty was like… heaven. In all the moments he had imagined sharing a kiss, a life, with Betty, he hadn't imagined it would be like this. Betty was a really good kisser.

When she pulled away, slowly, demurely, she risked a glance up at him. She smiled shyly.

His hand, still cupping her jaw, caressed her cheek gently. "Betty…"

"Surprise!" she whispered with a nervous smile.

She was so adorable. He reached down, claiming her lips in a gentle kiss. "How did you—how…"

She grinned. "Your mom talked to me before I left MODE. She said she thought you were falling for me."

Daniel groaned.

"Besides, did you really think I slept through all of that this morning? You kissed me, like, _three_ times. _And_ called me 'baby.' And do you know how impossible it is to sleep on that couch with you dropping pans in my kitchen?"

He groaned again.

She grinned up at him and pressed up on her tiptoes, meeting his lips in a kiss. "It's okay, though. I liked it. You've been so sweet."

"Does that mean I get another kiss?"

She grinned at the thrilled, eager look on his face. "That depends."

"Depends on what?"

"If you call me _baby_ again."

"Do you _want_ me to call you 'baby?'" he ventured.

She just grinned at him and started walking away, studying the flower arrangements in the park. "Betty!"

She glanced back at him and laughed. When he caught up to her, he pulled her back into his arms. "C'mere, baby," he whispered, claiming her lips in another kiss.

They stood there, kissing in the middle of Holland Park, as the sun slowly set behind the horizon, and Daniel couldn't help but think that there couldn't be a more perfect moment in the whole world.

* * *

**A/N:** Epilogue? Or no? I know that a lot of other authors have gone beyond this point after they take up from where the finale finished off, but I don't want to really drag it on too much. I do have an idea for an epilogue, but if you guys think it'd be nicely concluded here, I'll leave it as it is. :)

Thanks for all your reviews and love! I'll probably be taking a break from UB for a while, just because finals are coming up and I'm already losing my mind! But summer break's almost here, and I have several ideas for an Ugly Betty story. :)


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** You asked for it, so here it is! :) I'm nothing if not accommodating. :) (Actually, when it comes to writing, I'm hardly accommodating—I only would have written this if I thought it was better this way. But I always wanted to say that! bahaha)

**Disclaimer:** I owneth not Ugly Betty. :*(

* * *

Epilogue

It's been six months since Daniel and Betty had first come to The Nadia House. This time, the sun was shining high in the sky, and snow covered most of the ground. It was December 14.

Betty breathed in the icy, winter air and looked around. "Daniel?" she asked. "What are we doing here?" Her hand, wrapped in his, was tucked into the warmth of his wool coat. She studied him curiously.

He grinned silently and tugged her forward. "C'mon," he whispered, guiding her to the main building.

She followed his lead, and the children ran out the front door en masse, cheering and jumping up and down. They were shouting something, but Betty couldn't quite figure it out. She listened harder, and their chanting turned into a cadence. "Papa, Papa!" they were shouting.

_Papa_? Why were they calling Daniel _papa_?

The children enveloped the couple, hugging them as best as they could, and Daniel lifted a four-year-old little girl to his hip with his free arm. She clung to his neck and kissed his cheek, and he grinned and kissed her back.

Betty shivered next to him, and he started to guide everyone back inside. They settled down in the large living room, staring at the couple expectantly, and Betty whispered, "Daniel, what's going on?"

He turned to face her, cradling her loosely in his arms. "Remember how everyone thought the Nadia House was going under?"

She nodded.

"And how you made me hang out with Tyler when he and Mom came to visit a couple months ago?"

She nodded again.

"Well—playing with these kids, bonding with Tyler… I just—I couldn't do _nothing_, Betty. These kids—this is probably the closest thing to home they'll have. It's not ideal, but they have a warm roof over their heads, and they have hope, and good schooling, and food, and a community. This place is so much better than any other alternative they probably would have had, except for adoption. I couldn't let some impersonal bank shut down the orphanage, repossess the property, and make all these orphans fend for themselves for the rest of their lives. It's not _fair_, Betty!"

She smiled softly, her eyes misting with tears at Daniel's fervor. This was the Daniel she loved. "You bought it, didn't you?"

He smiled nervously. "Yeah. You're not mad, are you?"

She rolled her eyes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Why would I be mad, baby? You did a _great_ thing for these orphans! They won't have a normal childhood, but if they aren't adopted, at least they'll have one man that will always take care of them." She smiled up at him. "I'm proud of you, Daniel."

A slow, relieved grin crossed his face. Turning to look at the large group of orphans and staff sitting together at the other end of the room, he said, "Okay, Charlie!"

One of the orphans, a little boy, probably six, appeared in a side door, lugging a huge sign. A few of the other boys helped him bring it into the room the rest of the way.

Betty stilled in Daniel's arms at the words on the sign. _The Betty House: Sheltering Orphans since 2011._ She gasped quietly. "Daniel?"

He chuckled softly as he pulled her into a full hug. "I was hoping you wouldn't be mad."

"You named an orphanage after me." She sounded dumbstruck.

Pushing away from her slowly, he said softly, "There's more."

"More?"

He laughed again, but this time it was a little bit nervous. He reached into his coat pocket and glanced up at her nervously, holding her gaze for a moment. "Betty?"

"Yeah, Daniel?"

He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand, stroking her cheek gently. "I love you," he whispered.

She smiled, puzzled, back at him. "I know you do, baby," she said. "I love you, too."

He knew he should get down on one knee, but Betty was just so beautiful, and he loved holding her in his arms. He didn't want to let go of her. Her cheek was so soft, and he could stare into her chocolate brown eyes forever. He had a whole speech, with a million reasons why Betty should marry him, planned. But when it came down to it, he couldn't wait to get through the speech, or afford to mess it up.

It was just he and Betty, and the world had faded away. His love welling in his eyes, he whispered, "Marry me, baby."

She stared at him for a moment, her eyes widening with surprise, and then she launched herself into his arms, squealing in his ear. "Yes, yes, yesss!"

Daniel's proud grin was barely contained to his face as he held her tightly in his arms. He was _engaged_.

Betty pulled away after a moment, and framed his face with her hands, she kissed him, long and slow, sharing all the emotions of the moment with him.

The room erupted into applause, and Betty pulled away slowly, ducking her head in embarrassment. She'd never really been one for public displays of affection, especially in front of an audience. He held her tight, letting her hide in his arms, and he pressed a kiss to her temple.

In her own time, she looked up at him, pulling away enough to look into his eyes. "Do I have an engagement ring?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with her happiness.

Jolting in remembrance, he pulled the black velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her. She lifted the lid and gasped softly at the sight of the ring inside. Silver, set with three diamonds. It was simple, elegant, beautiful. "Daniel, it's beautiful!" she whispered. She had been half afraid he'd go all-out and buy something worth half his inheritance. The simple elegance suited her more. She'd never been one for flashy jewelry.

She held her hand out to him, waiting expectantly. He slipped the ring on her finger, and she held it up to the light. It fit perfectly. It _looked_ perfect. She threw her arms around Daniel's neck again and kissed him passionately. When she pulled away, she whispered, "I love you."

The rest of the night, as they interacted with the staff and the orphans, passing out the gifts Daniel had bought for each and every one of them, Betty stayed tucked at Daniel's side, sharing secrets and laughing with him, staring up at him adoringly. As she thought of their future, she couldn't imagine it being more perfect. She and Daniel were engaged. They were going to be _married_. And they would love each other for all of time.

* * *

And what else is there to tell, in the story of Betty Suarez and Daniel Meade? They lived happily-ever-after? They did.

Two weeks before they got married, Daniel convinced Betty that buying an orphanage just wasn't enough, and he convinced her to let them adopt a little boy. His name is Harper Ignacio Bradford Meade. He moved in with Daniel and Betty a month after they returned from their honeymoon.

Two years later, they adopted a little blind girl, Rachel Rosa Claire Meade. Three months later, Daniel and Betty found they were expecting their own child, a daughter, Olivia Hilda Alexis.

Three years later, their family was completed when they adopted one more baby, Holden Daniel Justin.

Betty and Daniel co-ran the orphanage and Lindsay Dunn's magazine and, as you know, they lived happily ever after, just as all fairytale heroes should.

* * *

**A/N:** So that's the end! :) I hope you liked it!


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